The Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows you to travel to any member state of the Schengen Area temporarily. The reason for your trip and the duration of your stay will determine the type of visa you need to apply for.
There are four main types of visas for the Schengen Area.
| Schengen Visa Types | Description | Validity |
| Airport Transit Visa (Type A) | For passing through the international zone of an airport without entering the Schengen area. | 24 hours |
| Short-Term Visa (Type C) | Allows travel across Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It can be issued for single, double, or multiple entries. | Typically up to 90 days in a 180-day period
|
| Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV) | This type of visa allows you to travel only in the Schengen country that gave you the visa or sometimes in specific other Schengen countries that you mentioned when you applied. | Typically up to 90 days in a 180-day period |
| National long-stay visa (Type D) | For studying, working, or living in a Schengen country. Includes travel purposes such as tourism or personal visits, engaging in professional activities, pursuing studies, participating in a training program, or completing an internship and family-related reasons. Rules may differ depending on the country that issues the visa. | Valid for trips longer than 90 days |
Airport Transit Visa (Type A)
The Schengen Airport Transit Visa allows travellers to pass through the international transit area of an airport in a foreign country on their way to a final destination in another country. This type of visa is typically required when a traveller’s flight itinerary includes a layover or connecting flight in a foreign country, and they need to change planes in that country’s airport.
If you must leave the transit area and pass through border security, then you need a Schengen Type C Visa, not a transit visa.
Duration of the Airport Transit Visas
The Schengen Airport Transit Visa has a 24-hour validity and is valid only within the international transit section of a Schengen airport.
Uniform Schengen Visas (Type C)
The uniform Schengen visa isvalid for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period in the Schengen Area. You can receive a single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry Schengen C Visa for the following purposes:
- Tourism.
- Visiting family and friends.
- Business.
- Journalism and reporting.
- Official visits.
- Medical treatment.
- Study purposes.
- Cultural, sports, and religious events.
Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV)
A Limited Territorial Validity Visa (LTV) Schengen visa is a special type of Schengen visa that allows you to travel only within certain Schengen member states, rather than the entire Schengen Area. This visa is typically issued for specific reasons, such as humanitarian or national interest cases, and it restricts your travel to the Schengen countries specified in the visa.
An LTVV Schengen visa is different from a regular Schengen visa, which allows you to travel freely within all Schengen member states. Therefore, if you receive an LTVV Schengen visa, you must strictly adhere to the restrictions outlined in the visa and only visit the specific countries mentioned.
National Visas (Type D)
The national visa (the D category) is granted to individuals who intend to study, work, or establish permanent residence in a Schengen country. Like the Schengen (C) Visa, it allows freedom of movement within the Schengen Area, but it only allows you to work, study, or live in the Schengen country that issued it.
National (D) Visas are typically issued for the following reasons:
- To study in a Schengen country for longer than three months
- To work in a Schengen country
- To move to a Schengen country for family reunification with an EU national (e.g., your spouse)
- For “Work and Travel” programs
- For retirement in a Schengen country
- For investment or setting up a business in a Schengen country
- For working in a Schengen country as a digital nomad
What Is the Difference Between Visa Validity and Duration of Stay?
Schengen visas come in various types, and it’s important to understand their key aspects:
- Duration of Stay: This is the maximum number of days you can spend in the Schengen Area. Your entry into Schengen marks “Day 1,” even if you arrive late in the day, and your exit marks the “Last Day,” even if it’s shortly after midnight.
- Visa Validity: This represents the time frame during which you can use your visa to enter and stay in the Schengen Area.
For instance, if your visa allows a 10-day stay from January 1 to January 20, you can enter Schengen anytime within this period (e.g., on January 3) and leave by January 12. However, if you enter on January 15, you must still leave by January 20, even if you haven’t used all 10 days.
With a double-entry visa valid from January 1 to March 1 and a 10-day stay, you can enter Schengen twice during this period, but you can’t exceed 10 days on both trips combined. So, if you stay 7 days on the first trip, you can only stay 3 days on the second. If you make only one trip and stay 10 days, you can’t re-enter even if your visa is still valid.
For a multiple-entry visa, like a one-year visa starting on January 15, 2024, you can enter and leave Schengen anytime until January 15, 2025. However, there’s a 90-day limit for your stay within any 180-day period.
You can use a Schengen visa calculator to keep track of how many days you have left within your allowed stay period, ensuring you comply with your visa’s terms.